Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-23
A Futile Effort.
New YORK Times.l

Proof accumulatts that the mass OF the
Union veterans are not IN sympathy with
the yioiont administrations OF noisy dema-
co,ueS ike Governor FORAKER or ambitious
r,Iiisan> like General Fairchild over the
ir,idelt % the bUtleilags. No sol iier
Of patriotic feeling and sober sense has
srv fear that tins Administration or
any other VIII do anything to make
the I, suits oi the Union victories less
secure nr les permanent. Those matters
were settled for all tine at AppomattOX.
Ana 70 veteran who consider, disposition
.,,lv the order 10 which the President too
hastily gave bis assent has any DOUBT tht
the motive by which Mr.. Cleveland WIS
actuaied was the de>ue tn take one m IRE
sven toward the ObliterLtlOn OF sectional
feeling which the masnanmOus diving
words OF General Grant and the present
Administration Lave done 20 much to bring
about.
The evidence that Governor Foraker,
General Fuirchlld. and bitter anti Admins.
tration organs Ike The New York Tribune
aud the Cincinnati G0zette have greatly
overestlmated the value OF this incident for
political purposes lies in the fact that the
process OF restoring the battle-ilISs 20
those who fought under them has Tor
some time been going on a voluu-
tary and graceful testimony to the oar
tcipation OF the soldiers OF the North
and of the South i'm the work Of sup
planting the animOsitieS OF war by the r..
stored sentiment Of union and brotherhood.
The meeting upon the field OF Getly,.
burg next month OF the Philadelphia
brigade and the survivors Of Pickett.
division is to give furt1er proof Of the
anicable disposition Of the veterans in re-
spect to captured flags. The following let
tcI sent TO the President by the secretary OF
the Getty sburg Rednion Committee Of the
PHILADELPHIA brigade breathes spirit o!
reconciliation and fraternity which shows
how futile have been the efforts OF the des-
perate and excited partisans to reopen
wounds long since closed:
PHILADELPHIA, June Is, 1887.
Mr.. Pre,ide Colonel L. ID. Bakers
California regiment-the Seyenty-frst Of
the PennSylyan llne-is credited upon
the WaT-Department records with having
CAPTURED three Confederate flags at Gettys-
burg from Pickett's diyision-yiz., one
from the seventeenth Virginia, captured
BY John Clopp. Of Company +; one from
the Seyente, nth Virginia, captured by
George {. Moore, Company ], and one
from tue Fiity.tbird Virginia, captured by
Isaac Tibbons, Of Company e, Seyenty-tirst
PENNSYLVANIA volunteer.
The Philadelphia brigade, composed Of
the Sixty-ninth, Seventy-fr,t, Seventy
sc ond, and OnC-Hundred.andS Sixth Penn
sylyanla volunteers, has invited Pickett's
division to become their guess at Gettys-
burg July I'd, Sd, ard 4th, and upon that
occasion OF fralernal reunion-the first
that bas taken place between the "Blue
and the Gray " since the war ended be-
lleye voice the sentiment Of every men,
Der OF BAKERS historical regiment when |
state the Climax Of that rednion would be
complete by the survivors Of Colonel b.
kel's old regiment returning in person to
the brave men OF Pickett's division upon
this occasion OF national interest the three
flags captured by tbem-ihe return TO BE-
made upon the spot where they were cap.
tured and to be made at the time when the
monument OF the Seyen:y.first is unveiled
July Sd next.
Upon the presumption after comforting
with leading members OF the Regimental
ASs0ciatlOn-that official action In the mat
ter will be taken at our next Regimental
Association meeting-June 2jth-I write
simply TO inquire what disposition has been
made OF these three flags, and TO ask
whether II is possible for you 10 return
them 10 the Regimental Association OF the
Seyenty.frst PENNSYLVANIA volunteers.
The earliest reply possible will greatly
Oblige yours, very truly,
JoBS w. FRAZER.
Such "fraternal reunions" as this be-
tween the veterans Of the forces opposed 10
each other quarter Of century ago, upon
the very soil made historic by their bravery
and hallowed by the blood OF their com.
rades. will unmake sectional issues faster
than Governor Foraker, General Farchiid,
and their kind can make them.
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